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DOG DAY AFTERNOON
by
Frank Pierson
"DOG DAY AFTERNOON"
FADE IN:
EXT. ELECTRIC SIGN
It FILLS THE SCREEN (designed to exactly FILL THE FRAME size of whatever ratio we're shooting in). It says:
2:51
This message will be a little cryptic to the movie audience on an essentially BLACK SCREEN. HOLD for a beat, then it changes: the lights flash this sign, which should explain it to everyone:
94°
And a slow distant ROLL OF THUNDER in the far distance; now the SOUND of media begin to come up loud, under:
EXT. FLATBUSH AVENUE - DAY
LONG SHOT down the Avenue, 400 mm lens, heat waves shimmering, thousands of old people, and people with children in strollers moving restlessly about in the heat on those endless miles of benches.
The SHOT is ON SCREEN only for a beat or two, then gone...
SOUND TRACK COMES FROM A THOUSAND TRANSISTOR RADIOS, TV SETS, AUTO RADIOS, BLENDED IN THE OPEN AIR...
RADIO ANNOUNCER 1 (V.O.) ... the situation continued tense in the Middle East today, as...
EXT. SHEA STADIUM (TV CLIP) - DAY
An unnamed player swings and hits a high pop up...
ANNOUNCER 2 (V.O.) ... hits a high inside pitch foul into the upper stands...
ANGLE ON CROWD
as the ball comes down they scramble and fight for it...
A touch of viciousness...
ANNOUNCER 3 (V.O.) ... B-52's meanwhile, unleashed the heaviest bombing of the war...
EXT. MOVIE HOUSE TO MACDONALD'S - DAY
We are SEEING HEIDI, though we don't know it yet - she's just another pretty 175-pound Italian girl with two kids, KIMMY, JIMMY, about four and five years old. Right now she is a lump of browning flesh, shining with oil among rows of similar ladies (mostly thinner, but all with a certain unhealthy softness about them) laid out in rows and groups across the sand. SHOOT LOW AND LONG, so heat shimmers rise, as though the heat were baking the oil out of this mob, visible suntan oil pollution... Heidi's transistor blasts ROCK MUSIC into the air.
LYRICS (OVER) (Roberta Flack) REVEREND LEE, SHE SAID, LORD KNOWS I LOVE YOU, REVEREND LEE - DO IT TO ME (etc., etc.)
ANNOUNCER 3 (V.O.) ... the American High Command announced the famed 25th Cavalry Division would be coming home! The 25th Cavalry, long since afoot, hardened in battle in the jungles of World War II...
FAR DISTANT THUNDER ROLLS...
INT/EXT. SONNY'S CAR - STREET - DAY
It is parked in a drab Brooklyn street. Beside the car stands SAL, medium height, also good-looking in an intense boyish way. His eyes dart about suspiciously, the ever- watchful Sal.
There is a watchful reserve in Sal that contrasts to Sonny's outgoing bounciness: first impression is Sonny is all bark; Sal is the bite. Sal is dressed in impressive blue suit style, he looks like a kid trying to impress the Godfather. He even wears a hat. Now, matching Sal's preparations inside the car, he checks his tie's alignment, shoots his cuffs and is ready...
Meanwhile, on their car radio:
ELTON JOHN (Amoreena) AND SHE DREAMS OF CRYSTAL STREAMS OF DAYS GONE BY WHEN WE COULD LEAN LAUGHING FIT TO BURST UPON EACH OTHER...
ANOTHER ANGLE BY CAR
As he turns, from the back of the car, JACKIE appears with a huge florist box, tied with ribbon. Jackie is an eighteen year old with bad complexion and in contrast to Sonny and Sal is dressed in teenage sloppiness. Adidas, T-shirt, bowling jacket, jeans. He is uncertain: waits for directions from Sonny. Sonny takes the florist box from him.
We see a water truck drive down the street, followed by Sonny's car, which drives up near bank. It stops, Jackie gets out, crosses to bank window, peers through, then
ANGLE INSIDE CAR
returns to car. Leans in, has fake conversation with Sonny. They are waiting. Sonny checks his watch, turns to Sal in back seat:
SONNY 30 seconds, Sal...
They wait. At appropriate moment, Sal exits car, walks toward bank. Slowly Sonny gets out.
INT. BANK - DAY
A slightly seedy little branch bank, old yellow brick, blond varnished wood, a rubber plant, an American flag. Through the windows we SEE HOWARD, the aged black bank guard, in uniform, taking down the American flag from outside. Past him comes Sal carrying an attache case. He passes Howard coming toward us through the door into the bank. As he passes CAMERA:
INSERT: BANK CLOCK
as it CLICKS from 2:57 to 2:58 PM.
MOVING SHOT WITH SAL
as he moves toward the left-hand deposit-slips desks.
He picks out a car-loan application slip, then walks toward the manager's desk (as the sign on the desk proclaims) of PATRICK MULVANEY. Sal sits down, his back to Mulvaney, facing the front door of the bank. Mulvaney is on the phone.
ON DOOR
as Sonny bustles through in his bouncy dancer's walk. He carries the large florist box. He moves toward the left- hand deposit-slips desks, takes one out and begins to fill one out.
ON HOWARD
as he pulls out the keys, attached to the belt of his uniform. Jackie approaches the door of the bank and stops, neither in nor out, as though he can't make up his mind. Howard watches him, waiting patiently, keys in hand, folded flag under his arm.
CLOSE - SAL
still sitting, back to Mulvaney, watching Jackie's approach and entrance, ready to move on cue.
ON DOOR
on Howard as he looks at Jackie, still half in, half out. Howard speaks to him:
HOWARD Closing time; you want in or out?
Jackie steps in and as Howard locks the door to prevent more customers from entering, Jackie walks toward Sonny, filling out a slip at the left-hand area. CAMERA FOLLOWS Jackie. He stops at deposit-slips desk, next to Sonny.
CLOSE - SAL
as if by pre-arranged signal, Sal now stands up, moves to the side of Mulvaney's desk.
SAL You the manager?
ON MULVANEY
who is still on the phone. He gestures at the sign on his desk that says so, and gestures for Sal to sit down.
ON SAL
as he sits, producing as he does a machine pistol, which he holds on Mulvaney's chest, out of sight from others in the bank.
MULVANEY
His mouth simply stops, and he stares at the gun. Mulvaney is a comic opera Irishman in his early fifties, florid ... cheerful, bushy eyebrows; he acts out everything he says...
SAL Just go on talking, like nothing was happening, okay?
MULVANEY (into phone) Listen, lemme call you back.
He hangs up, and looks from the gun up to Sal's blank hard face. To his own amazement, he grins: a hopeful grin that says: "Like me - don't hurt me." And he's embarrassed by it. As we watch, his smile turns sour.
HIS POV - FLASH
Sal's absolutely unmoved face.
TWO SHOT - SONNY AND JACKIE
Jackie moves over to Sonny.
JACKIE Sonny, I'm gettin' real bad vibes.
SONNY Jackie - what are you talking about?
JACKIE Maybe we can take something smaller... like a Spanish grocery.
SONNY (indicating what's happening with Sal and Mulvaney) It's too late - just get away from me - don't talk to me now - go over to your place...
Jackie moves to another deposit-slips desk - takes one out and begins to fill it out.
ON TELLER'S CAGE AREA
as a LADY with a BABY in a stroller moves away from the Teller and starts to walk toward the front door. DEBORAH is marking figures on a piece of paper at 1st Teller's cage. SYLVIA and MIRIAM stand behind her - their backs to Sonny. Howard, who has put the folded flag in a plastic bag in a front desk, follows Lady toward the door. He unlocks the door and hands the Baby a lollipop, courtesy of the bank, and she exits the bank.
CLOSE - NEW ANGLE - SONNY
glancing at clock, taking a sharp deep breath...
SAL
staring at Mulvaney.
MULVANEY
the ruins of his smile still on his face.
HOWARD
straightens up from locking the door; the figure of the Lady and the Baby can be seen receding outside...
SONNY
seeing that the bank is closed, locked in, with no customers, crosses toward the front teller's cage area, carrying the florist box. As he reaches the other side, he rips open the box and takes the rifle out and aims it level onto SYLVIA BALL, the teller, who automatically takes the "closed" sign and holds it in front of her face as though to protect herself from the rifle.
SYLVIA (holding sign in front of her face) Sorry, this window is shut...
TWO SHOT - MULVANEY AND SAL
as Mulvaney stands and yells to Sylvia...
ANGLE ON BACK OF BANK, REST ROOM AREA
as MARGARET, an accountant, comes out of the ladies' room, starts to cross downstage toward her desk, sees what is happening, and momentarily freezes in her tracks.
SONNY
The cues have got all fucked up, but he's so programmed and ready, he can't adjust, so the speech he had ready comes out now:
SONNY Okay, this is a stickup! Nobody move! This is a fucking stickup! Just freeze now, goddammit! Get away from your desk... get in the center - get in the center!
Sylvia and Edna start to move toward the rear of the bank, toward Margaret's desk.
MULVANEY
aghast at his own outspokenness ... Sal holding the gun levelled on him.
MULVANEY Okay, okay... we know it's a stickup!
SONNY (to Jackie, re: Howard) If he moves - blow his guts out... Cover him!
TWO SHOT - SONNY & JACKIE
Jackie, staring at the real guns, turns to Sonny...
JACKIE I'm sorry, Sonny... I can't make it...
Jackie starts to move toward the front door.
SONNY Hey, for christ's sake... now... fuckin' asshole... (turns to Sal) He can't make it.
SAL Fuck him - let him out!
Sonny yells out at frozen Howard.
SONNY Hey... let him out!
MULVANEY (yells) Do what the gentleman says, Howard.
Sonny sees that Howard is useless, so he runs to Howard, grabbing the keys from him and pulls Howard along with him to the front door. Jackie unlocks the door, and Jackie, with a last apologetic glance, gives his gun to Sonny and vanishes into the sweltering afternoon. Sonny then frisks Howard and has a sudden afterthought as he locks the door again. He quickly unlocks it and shouts out at Jackie.
EXT. BANK - DAY
SONNY Hey, don't take the car!
JACKIE (on sidewalk) Well, how'll I get home?
SONNY Take the subway. We need the car. (as Jackie starts to walk away) Hey, gimme the keys - the keys!
Jackie stops, fumbles for keys, crosses back to Sonny with them.
JACKIE (points to fig. desk) Sonny, there's somebody under that desk over there... I'm sorry...
SONNY It's okay... it's okay...
Sonny turns into the bank once more, as Jackie walks off toward the subway, pointing inside at a desk near the window as he does, to point something out to Sonny.
INT. BANK - DAY
Sonny, re-entering the bank, speaks to Howard.
SONNY Lock it.
Sonny now crosses to desk that Jackie indicated, as everyone watches him, as though it's all in the game.
SONNY (taps loudly on top of desk) Hey... get outta there! Nobody's gonna hurt you.
JENNY, a young, frightened girl, peeks out from under the desk, obviously afraid to reveal herself.
Sonny starts to move toward the front of the bank. Sal turns so he can cover everyone. Sonny turns to order Howard.
SONNY Pull the drapes.
Howard doesn't move.
SONNY (continuing) Pulla drapes!
Howard belatedly leaps to work, pulling drapes that screen off the interior from outside. The door has no drapes or blinds and thus when the drapes are closed there is a corridor of space across the street we will always be able to see. And from which people outside will always be able to see in. As Howard finishes the task, he then walks back to the huddled group on the rear.
SONNY
on his way to the back of the bank, is digging into his jacket pocket; he swings around as he passes the camera that is bolted to a wall bracket covering the tellers' area. He whips out a spray can and gives the lens a shot of red paint. There are three cameras in all, each of which he sprays.
SONNY (grinning) No replay, folks... no alarms...
After spraying the three cameras, he has reached Mulvaney's desk area. The girls are scattering to group farther back and Sonny and Mulvaney are heading for the vault.
MULVANEY (on cross to vault with Sonny) We're hip... let's just get you all fixed up and on your way!
MIRIAM, a young, awkward, overweight Jewish girl, chewing gum with nervous machine-like rapidity, moving toward the vault. The gate is closed, and she holds one key and Mulvaney the other. They pass Sal, who now holds the others in the bank under his gun while at the vault gate.
SONNY Okay, is the vault open?
MULVANEY I can take care of that.
NEW ANGLE
Mulvaney is about to insert his key in his lock. Sonny quickly reaches out and grabs Mulvaney's hand, and looks at the key he has extended. He explodes.
SONNY Son of a bitch!
He almost hits Mulvaney with his fist.
SONNY What the fuck you tryin' to do? Trip the alarm? Use the spur key? Use the other one...
He's grabbed the keys from Mulvaney and holds up the key Mulvaney was going to use... we're in a:
VERY TIGHT TWO SHOT - MULVANEY AND SONNY'S HEADS
Sonny holds the key right in the middle of the FRAME where Mulvaney and the audience can SEE the key has a tiny projection or spur at the end. If this key is used, the spur triggers a silent alarm.
MULVANEY I must of been outta my mind.
SONNY (furious) Well, you get your mind right. I'm a Catholic and I don't wanna hurt nobody, but goddamn it, don't you play no games with me. Unnastand?!?
Mulvaney nods and picks out a key that is identical except for the spur. He shows it to Sonny. Sonny nods.
NEW ANGLE
as Mulvaney carefully uses the safe key to unlock the gate. Miriam is crying as she unlocks her side. The gate swings open. Sonny shoves Mulvaney inside and, as he passes Miriam, notices her tears.
She just stands there staring into his face like a hypnotized chicken, the tears streaming down her face.
Sonny stops, staring at her. Mulvaney, starting to open the gate, moves inside the vault, impatient...
MULVANEY Okay. Let's get you on your way. Miriam - open the safe.
Miriam hesitates.
SONNY What's the matter with you?
MULVANEY (to Miriam) Come on, lemme load you up...
MIRIAM There isn't any money...
Sonny looks at Mulvaney, alarmed...
MIRIAM They picked it up this afternoon...
SONNY No money?! (moves inside the vault)
MIRIAM There's only about four thousand in singles, and maybe a few hundred in larger bills... he's going to kill us!
Sonny storms into the vault.
NEW ANGLE IN VAULT
as Mulvaney pulls a cash drawer out to show Sonny: even we can see there isn't much there. Sonny searches for more, finds nothing.
SONNY This is it? What am I gonna do with this? Holy shit!
MULVANEY It's all we got.
SONNY Okay, don't worry about it. Stick it in the bag...
At this, Sonny pulls out a plastic bag from his pocket, hands it to Miriam, who opens it and puts the money into it. As he turns, we see that Miriam is still staring at him, terrified, and as his rifle swings around, she reels back with a little screech of terror...
SONNY (continuing) Ah, Jesus...
SAL Let's go, Sonny.
SONNY (suddenly gentle) What are you crying for? Jesus Christ. It's not your fault there's no money...
MULVANEY She's afraid you're gonna shoot... (hands Sonny the bag of money)
Sonny starts out of the vault toward the teller's area with bag of money. He speaks to Mulvaney.
SONNY What the hell would I shoot her for?
Miriam follows Sonny to teller's cages gate. He carries the bag.
PHONE STARTS TO RING (#1)
SONNY Answer the phone!
Mulvaney crosses to his desk, picks up the receiver. Sal follows him, yanks receiver from one ear to the other, so he can hear conversation.
SONNY (to Miriam) Okay... open this.
Miriam crosses to gate, presses the necessary button and the gate opens from them. Sonny watches this carefully, noting where the buzzer button is. He crosses in front of the drawer at the first cage. He tries to open the drawer. It's obviously locked.
SONNY Okay, who's the head teller here?
SYLVIA I am.
SONNY Open this up!
Sylvia comes forward and unlocks the first drawer, and begins to remove the cash, but Sonny grabs her hands... alarmed...
SONNY Don't take it all out!
He grabs a piece of paper or cardboard...
CLOSE SHOT - SONNY'S HANDS AND CASH IN DRAWER
He takes all the singles but one out of the singles slot in the drawer, leaving the bottom single in place. It is held there by a metal clip. He carefully slips the paper under the clip and then removes the single.
It is clear this is an automatic alarm - meanwhile...
SONNY Boy, I can't trust a one of you... I worked in a bank, I know the alarms, so don't try to fool around with me!
BACK TO SHOT OF SONNY AND SYLVIA AND MIRIAM
as they move to 2nd cash drawer at 2nd teller's cage. Sylvia unlocks the drawer and starts to reach in for the cash, but Sonny pushes his hand into the drawer instead. He begins to stuff the money into the bag. Some fives, packaged with rubber bands, in the drawer, he holds up so Sal and all can see them... He laughs!
SONNY Decoy money, right, it's marked! Shit!
He throws it into the air so the bills flutter all around him, gaily... In the background, Mulvaney, having finished with the phone conversation, is moving to the rear with the rest of the girls. Sonny now moves to the 3rd cage's cash drawer... Mulvaney ends phone conversation and Sal moves him over to group at vault.
SONNY (mimicking Sylvia) 'This window is shut...'
Again, the same procedure begins. Sylvia unlocks the cash drawer and Sonny starts to scoop it out and put it into the opened plastic bag that Miriam holds.
SAL Cheer up, you'll be the veteran of a robbery, the bank sends you a dozen red roses, you know that?
At this point, THE PHONE BEGINS TO RING AGAIN (#2)
SONNY (yelling to Sal) Sal, let him answer the goddamn phones, they're driving me crazy! Look at this chicken shit!
Again, Mulvaney starts to cross back to his desk, again followed by Sal. Sonny yells out to Mulvaney as he crosses to answer the phone.
SONNY Hey, you, manager... Don't get any ideas, fucker... See that man there? I bark and he bites!
MULVANEY Believe me, I'm on your side.
SONNY My side, shit!
They move to Drawer #4.
SYLVIA Listen, we got young girls here... you could watch your language.
SONNY I speak what I feel.
MULVANEY ON THE PHONE
MULVANEY Hello... I'm sorry I can't talk to you right now... I suggest you call during banking hours tomorrow. What is your name?
BACK ON SONNY, SYLVIA AND MIRIAM
SONNY Gimme the traveler's checks and the register.
They cross toward the last drawer area (#5). Miriam is still crying silently. Sonny holds out the plastic bag for the checks for her. She drops it.
SONNY Please... quit that. It's not necessary.
With everything in the bag, Sonny now takes the register and starts to move the two girls toward the rear near the vault.
MULVANEY Can you hurry it up?
BACK TO SONNY
as he moves toward the rear (Sylvia and Miriam now re- joining other women), to get a wastebasket. Accomplishing this, he starts to burn the pages of the register, tearing out pages as he does so. It's smokey as hell, but not burning well. He drops it, smoking, into the wastebasket.
SONNY (to Howard) Hey, you! Give me the keys... We're gettin' outta here.
HOWARD (gasping for breath) Huh?
MULVANEY Howard?
HOWARD Huh?
ON HOWARD
The old man is panicked, great patches of sweat spreading around his armpits. He breathes in asthmatic gasps; now he flinches at his name, as though he's been hit.
MULVANEY (stands, receiver still to ear, then covering it with his hand) Howard, give him the keys...
SONNY Gimme the keys to get outta here!
Howard is unable to move. Seeing his predicament, Edna moves to him and starts to unfasten his belt to remove the keys. Mulvaney continues with his phone conversation.
ON SONNY
who now crosses to Howard and Edna, losing patience with the situation. As he moves closer, Howard backs away from him, frightened by his rifle. Seeing that, Sonny puts it down and looks over to Sal for coverage.
SONNY Sal...
As Sonny approaches Howard, he realizes that he can't get close enough.
SONNY Take it easy... just gimme the keys. I'm not gonna hurt you. Listen, calm down, huh? You're gonna have a heart attack. Just gimme the keys... that's all I want.
Howard gives him the keys and as Sonny starts to walk back toward the burning register...
ON SAL
with Mulvaney still on the phone.
SAL (looking past camera, falling onto the floor behind Mulvaney) Sonny... who's that? Across the street.
ON SONNY
who now starts to move quickly toward the front of the bank, being sure to hide behind the posts as he moves.
MULVANEY (O.S.) (on phone) No, it was the credit rating. The credit rating. I don't know, you;d have to find that out from him.
Sonny has now reached the front of the bank. He carefully peeks out through the closed draperies to look outside.
ANGLE ON STREET - SONNY'S POV
A man, in a business suit, sweaty and harassed-looking, is walking from an insurance office across the street directly toward the bank... The man continues coming straight toward them and us...
REVERSE
Sonny starts to run back to get his gun from Margaret's desk. Mulvaney is still on the phone.
MULVANEY It was something a couple of years ago in St. Louis, I don't know...
Sonny grabs the gun from the desk top and moves over to Mulvaney.
ANGLE ON DOOR AT FRONT OF BANK
The man walks straight toward the glass door, already lifting his hand to shadow his eyes, so when he reaches the door, he'll be able to see inside.
REVERSE ON SAL AND MULVANEY
Sal brings the gun up so he can shoot the man, at the same time, crabbing himself aside so he is concealed behind Mulvaney and the desk. Mulvaney sees the approaching man and cups his hand over the phone.
MULVANEY It's the insurance guy across the street. He probably saw the goddamn smoke! (motions toward smoking register) Please! Put out the fire!
ON MAN
The last few feet from the door.
ON SONNY
who rushes through the teller's cages gate toward the register, grabs the smoking register, throws it onto the floor near Edna's desk, and starts to stamp it out.
MARGARET I'll get some water!
Before anyone can move, Sonny grabs the gun on them all.
SONNY Nobody move! Freeze!
The women now begin to scream as real hysteria sets in. Deborah screams, collapses.
CLOSE - ON SAL
bringing gun up on:
DOOR
The man actually kicks the glass with his foot, then leans against the glass, shades his eyes, trying to see in.
MULVANEY (O.S.) Sorry... I can't talk now... I'll call you back.
SOUND of hanging up. The man is looking all around.
SAL AND MULVANEY
SAL Get rid of him.
MULVANEY Howard, wave him off. Tell him we're closed. Whatever...
ON HOWARD
who is useless.
ON MULVANEY
who starts to move toward the front door, looking over at Sonny trying to put out the fire.
CAMERA FOLLOWS MULVANEY TO THE FRONT DOOR; Sonny moves with him, covering him all the time.
ANGLE ON FRONT DOOR
as Sonny stands behind closed venetian blinds to listen to the conversation and to cover Mulvaney.
SONNY The gun's right on your back...
MULVANEY Give me the keys...
Sonny hands him the keys.
VERY CLOSE SHOT - SAL
He raises the gun and sights it now, and in this moment, we should sense a kind of luxurious relaxation into anticipation on Sal's part. He is smiling a little, and for the first time, looks happy, and that's what makes him seem dangerous. He's looking forward to an excuse to kill. It's here now: survival. There is something almost sexual about the way he settles his body down behind the weapon, getting ready for the squeeze on the trigger, the report, the violent shove of recoil against his muscles and sinews.
In the background, we see Sylvia bringing Howard a cup of water.
ANGLE ON DOOR
emphasizing the small of Mulvaney's back. The man is somebody he knows from across the street. He looks worried and mystified...
MULVANEY (unlocking door) What is it, Sam?
SAM Everything's all right? You okay?
MULVANEY Yeah, just a cigarette got in a wastebasket.
Silence. Sam stares around... thinking.
SAM You all right?
MULVANEY Little smoke: like a Polish four- alarm fire, is all.
SAM Yeah. Well, you're okay?
MULVANEY Yeah, thanks for keeping an eye out.
SAM Okay.
He's not satisfied, but he can't see anything and he can't think of anything more to say, so...
MULVANEY Thanks again, Sam.
SAM I'm glad it's okay.
MULVANEY It's okay. [Regards to the family, Sam.]
Mulvaney locks the door and walks inside the bank, giving the keys back to Sonny.
MULVANEY For God's sake, will you please go now? We gave you every nickel we got.
SONNY You're goin' outside with me. If there's no cops around, we just split. Otherwise, you go with us.
Mulvaney and Sonny starts to walk back toward Sal. As they do, the PHONE BEGINS TO RING AGAIN (#3).
SONNY (to Mulvaney) Answer it.
Mulvaney shrugs helplessly. Picks up the phone, standing at desk opposite his.
ON SAL
SAL He's gone?
SONNY Yeah - it's all right... let's go.
MULVANEY ON PHONE
MULVANEY Hello, Mulvaney here...
TWO SHOT - SONNY & SAL
SONNY Sal, get 'em in the vault.
SAL Where's the money?
SONNY Get 'em in the vault!
As Sal starts to herd them into the vault (Sylvia helping Howard, still with the cup of water), Mulvaney is still on the phone. Sonny moves down to get the money bag atop the teller's cages and we hear Mulvaney on phone.
MULVANEY (tired) What property is that, Mrs. Anterio? The Third Avenue property - you already got a second mortgage on. We discussed it before...
ANGLE AT VAULT
The girls are afraid; Miriam unlocks the gate as Sonny uses Mulvaney's keys to the matching lock.
JENNY (from inside vault area) You won't close the vault? How can we breathe?
SONNY No, that's okay... just close the gate...
Sylvia, helping Howard, is the last to go through the gate. As Sonny is about to lock the gate, she turns to him.
SYLVIA Listen, I'll never make it. I'll have to go to the toilet.
SONNY What's the matter... they never housebroke you?
SYLVIA It's not a joke. I got this terrible fear of being locked in...
SAL Goddamn women...
SONNY Ah shit. Okay... go ahead. Anybody else have to go?
EDNA Me, too, please.
SAL You see... now they all gotta go.
As Sylvia starts to move out, Sonny starts to cross ahead of her.
SONNY Wait a minute - I want to check.
Mulvaney finishes his phone conversation. He moves toward the group at the vault.
NEW ANGLE
as Sonny sprints for the door to the Ladies' Room.
INSIDE LADIES' ROOM
It is a little lounge; sitting on a couch under the window, making up her face (or painting her toenails) and listening to her tiny transistor radio, oblivious to all that's happened, is MARIA, heavily-painted and voluptuous Latin girl. Sylvia, following him in, is shocked. She's forgotten about Maria. Now she runs over to her, puts her arms around her.
SYLVIA Oh - Maria!
SONNY Who the hell is that? God damn it! What the...
Maria is about to protest, but Sylvia grabs her and starts to hustle her out.
SONNY What are you trying to pull?
SYLVIA I forgot she's in here.
SONNY Come on, nobody's going to the bathroom - come on...
He moves with them back to the vault area, herds them into it. At this point, PHONE RINGS AGAIN (#4). Sonny moves to get the empty wastebasket, shoving it into the vault for the girls to use in case of emergency. Mulvaney moves to his desk and phone.
Mulvaney has by this time answered the phone, and is now holding it out to Sonny. HOLD THE BEAT...
MULVANEY (to Sonny) It's for you.
ON SONNY AND SAL
They both stare at Mulvaney. Sonny slowly moves toward Mulvaney. For the first time since he entered the bank, he's quiet and slow. He takes the instrument and slowly puts it to his ear. The group from the vault now slowly starts to move out to listen to the conversation.
SONNY (into phone) Yeah.
MORETTI (V.O.) What are you doin' in there?
SONNY Who's this?
MORETTI (V.O.) This is Detective Sergeant Moretti, asshole, we got you completely by the balls. You don't believe me, I'm lookin' you right in the eye. Right now, I can see you...
SAL Who is it?
Sonny turns and looks out through the door. Sure enough, in the window of the barbershop across the street, the dim figure of a man on a telephone can be SEEN looking out toward us. He wears a hat in spite of the weather and a cigar is clamped in his mouth. He is an old-time, hard- nosed, uneducated, street-wise, sarcastic New York cop, outspoken, rude and sentimental. Right now he's a distant silhouette and a voice on the telephone.
CLOSE ON SONNY
holding the phone. Listening to the voice of his death speaking in New York accents.
MORETTI (V.O.) Okay? Let's be reasonable and not stupid and not get anybody hurt. You come to the front door with hands folded on your head, unnastand? Nobody's gonna shoot or...
Sonny slowly, almost sadly, puts the telephone receiver back down, cutting off the little voice at the other end. He looks up at Mulvaney, then to Sal.
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